


Proof of Life

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: Happily Married Space Lesbians [2]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But I found out they'd killed Maria and the Carol in my head went feral, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/F, Feels, Fluff, So suddenly a sequel fic appeared, Technically this isn't a fix it to WandaVision because it's set in basically a different universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29103417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Maria isn't nearly as dead as some people seem to think she is. (Fluffy AU canon divergence)
Relationships: Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau
Series: Happily Married Space Lesbians [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2135382
Comments: 6
Kudos: 78





	Proof of Life

**Author's Note:**

> So this doesn't really have anything to do with "WandaVision," but the Carol in my head saw how they offed Maria and went absolutely feral. It was either write this or have her punch a hole in my chest trying to get at the writers.  
>   
> Also, Al'mra is a made-up Skrull endearment because there is not NEARLY enough information about real ones on the internet. If someone wants to supply me with one, I would be thrilled to change it.

In this part of Louisiana, superheroes only existed as news reports and occasional t-shirt logos. So when the two women moved into the old Montcroix place the month prior, local gossip centered around the decades-large age gap between them and whether or not they were a couple. None of it was malicious – the women kept to themselves, and anyone with eyes could tell the older woman was Louisiana born and bred – but there wasn't much else to do on hot summer evenings.

Of course, if anyone had seen the younger woman flying in hell-bent for leather, they would have had considerably more to talk about.

Carol, too intent on her mission to think about any of this, landed with some force before storming into the ramshackle building they'd converted into a temporary hangar. "Did you know people say you _died_?" she yelled, brandishing the cell phone at the sleek, jet-like spaceship that seemed to be the building's only occupant. "Some 'Women in Aviation' group is even including you in some memorial celebration they're having!"

There was a rolling sound as a beautiful, stately woman with white streaks in her hair and coveralls emerged from underneath the ship. She gently captured Carol's hand, the one capable of incinerating entire asteroids, and took the phone out of it to read the article on the screen. After she let her go, Carol paced back and forth trying to figure out who she needed to yell at. Fury was back on the Skrull ship at the moment, but maybe he had some—

When she turned back around, Maria was watching her with that fond, amused look that had picked up so many layers over the years. Carol loved that look, but the fact that it was not _nearly_ indignant enough meant that Carol had to at least try an argue. "You _cannot_ tell me you're okay with this. You are very much _alive_ , and if I have to I'll—"

She stopped when Maria held a finger up. "Before we get into this, I have just one question. Whose phone is this?"

Carol blinked, thrown by the completely unexpected response. "What?"

Maria held up the phone, wiggling it back and forth a little. "You don't own a cell phone, baby. You and Talos made sure Monica and Talia had proper communicators, the Avengers insisted on having their own thing to talk to you, and you and Fury still insist on using that pager because you are both _incredibly_ stubborn. Even I only buy the occasional burner phone, because this is the longest we've been on planet in the last 25 years." Her smile widened a little. "But that does beg the question of where you got this."

Carol winced, memory filtering back in. "Damn it, I stole Agent Woo's phone."

Maria laughed, tucking the phone back into Carol's jacket pocket as she gave her a soft "Welcome home" kiss. "Well, I'm proud of you for not melting it on the way here."

Carol's anger ebbed, no match against Maria's everything. "I'm 55, al'mra, even though I don't look it." She stole another kiss, letting it linger this time. "I should have learned at least a _little_ self-control by now."

"I can still be proud of you." She smoothed a hand along the curve of Carol's cheek. "Now, are you ready to use a little more of that self-control now?"

Carol's brow lowered, recognizing this tone just as well as she had the last one. They'd been married five different times by this point, in ceremonies from five different cultures, and she liked to think that meant they both had five times as many wifely instincts as the average person. "For what?"

Maria's expression was just the tiniest bit apologetic now. "S.W.O.R.D. has me up on their memorial wall, too. Monica and Talia both called me as soon as they saw it."

"S.W.O.R.D. thinks you're dead, too?" The fresh need to punch someone flared again as Carol stepped back, flinging her hands in the air. "One, how do they even know who you are? And the _much_ more important two, why are you _so_ okay with the fact everyone seems to think you're _dead_?"

Maria tilted her head dismissively. "Fury asked me to do a little consulting just after you left the first time. I talked to a couple of people, told them what I knew, gave some advice. I had no idea what it was going to turn into." Her expression softened in the exact way that always meant she was thinking about Monica. Carol had been told by more than one person over the years that she had a similar expression. "I'm sure both Monica and Talia know more about the place than I do by now, and they haven't even been working there a month yet."

The specific nature of the girls' situation was considerably more complicated than that, involving rumors about unknown Skrull refugees hiding out on the planet, more rumors about Kree assassins trying to hunt them down, and government agents that weren't on their "trusted list" trying to stick their noses into all of it. Monica had volunteered to go undercover the moment she'd heard about it, and Talos's daughter Talia hadn't even been a step behind her. Carol and Maria were currently here officially so Carol could liaison with the Avengers, and unofficially so they could back up the girls and do their own investigating into the situation.

The reminder, though, wasn't nearly enough of a distraction. "That still doesn't explain why you're so calm about being _dead_."

Maria brushed a lock of hair back from Carol's forehead. "Baby, I haven't been on the planet more than a year out of the last 25, and everyone who ever really mattered to me are either gone or spends most of their time in space just like I do. It's probably easier that everyone thinks I'm gone."

The words alone were enough to make Carol's throat close up. "Not to me."

Maria's own expression went heartbreakingly fragile. "I know," she whispered. "But it's gonna happen someday, baby."

Carol blinked hard against suddenly wet eyes, but the lift of her chin was pure stubbornness. "Not if I can find something that'll stop you aging. The science crew still thinks that being so close to my energy is slowing your aging down a little. There has to be something else that'll finish the job."

So much love shone out of Maria's face that it made Carol's chest ache. It was an old, old discussion between them, and though Maria didn't believe she never tried to argue. "You know you'll have to find something for Monica too, right? I love you with all my heart and soul, but outliving my baby girl would break me."

Carol swallowed, trying not to think about the heartbreak of outliving either the love of her life or the brave, strong woman who was was as much her baby girl as she was Maria's. When she spoke, though, her voice was brimming with all the false bravado she could manage. "Of course I do. Why do you think Talia's helping me? Skrull live a lot longer than humans do – our daughter is her deeply, deeply adored wife, and my wife is her beloved mother-in-law. She needs you two to stick around just as much as I do."

Maria smiled. "So you're both gonna take care of us."

"Always." Carol pulled her closer, spreading her palms wide along the curves of Maria's waist. "Of course, I do feel just a _little_ bit guilty now that I find out I stopped you from being director of S.W.O.R.D or something."

Maria raised an eyebrow. "I'll have you know that there are actual _legends_ being told about me on at least three different planets. I am the Tamer of the Great Winged Beast, and they tried to make me Empress of Spartax at one point. I think I've done pretty well for myself."

Carol's chest clenched, so much love inside her there there was no room for it all. "You're amazing," she breathed, leaning in for another kiss. This one was considerably deeper than the others, that long, slow heat that seemed to melt all her insides like ice cream. Carol wanted to say it had always been like this, but the truth was that it had only gotten sweeter over the years. Just a taste of Maria, the feel of her hands sliding underneath the edge of her shirt, and Carol's entire body hummed like a played guitar string.

When they broke apart, Carol dropped a soft kiss against Maria's jaw. "Thank you for not becoming empress," she murmured.

Maria made a pleased noise, low in her throat. "I wasn't about to lock myself down to a bunch of endless meetings when we had a universe to save." She traced a thumb along the curve of Carol's lips, her smile like warm honey. "You know I need the sky just as much as you do, baby. You just gave be a bigger one."

Carol leaned in for another kiss, only pulling far enough away to allow a few breaths of air between them. "I have to go return Agent Woo's phone to him, but I will be _right_ back," she breathed. "Don't go _anywhere_."

Maria's smile widened. "If we take the Starjumper, we'll be even faster. And then we'll have the ship right there if we want to have our own little celebration of how very much alive I am."

Carol laughed. "You're a genius."

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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